This invention relates to apparatus for handling units of currency. The invention will be described mainly in the context of coin handling, but is also applicable to apparatus which also or alternatively handles other units of currency, such as banknotes.
It is known to provide a coin handling apparatus which receives and validates coins of different denominations, and directs valid coins to respective containers each containing coins of a single denomination. It is also known to dispense coins from these containers as change in an amount corresponding to the difference between the value of inserted coins and the price of a product or service obtained from a machine associated with the coin handling apparatus.
It is also known to arrange for the level of coins in each container not to exceed a predetermined upper level. The apparatus would thus tend to direct coins of a particular denomination to an associated container until the upper level is reached, and then any further coins of the same denomination would be sent to a cashbox, which would normally be of a type which does not permit the dispensing of coins therefrom.
Periodically, an operator will empty the cashbox. At this time, it is common for operators to adjust the levels of coins in the coin containers so that each one will contain a number of coins corresponding to a so called xe2x80x9cfloatxe2x80x9d level for the respective container. Adjustable markers may be provided to indicate these float levels.
An apparatus of this type substantially continuously stores large amounts of currency in the containers. This ensures that there is usually an adequate supply of coins in the container to be used as change if this is necessary. The float levels may be decreased to release cash to the machine owner, but then less cash is available for giving change to a user of the machine, and therefore there is a greater risk that insufficient change will be available, or at least that a potential short-change situation is reached, resulting in an xe2x80x9cexact-changexe2x80x9d warning being given, which may deter potential customers.
The present invention aims to improve these known arrangements.
WO-A-94/03874 discloses an arrangement for automatically calculating float levels for respective denominations. The float levels are individually determined in accordance with expected requirements for providing change. The described apparatus can operate in two different modes. In one mode, the xe2x80x9cfloat upxe2x80x9d mode, each float level corresponds to an adjustable maximum level for the respective container. The float operation involves filling each container (possibly from coins in the cashbox) until the maximum level is reached, any further coins then being automatically directed to the cashbox rather than the container. The maximum levels of the coins in the containers are adjusted in accordance with expected change requirements, and are likely to be fairly high, so the float operation results in a large number of coins being retained in the machine. The xe2x80x9cfloat downxe2x80x9d mode involves calculating float levels which would normally be lower than the maximum number of coins stored in the containers during operation of the apparatus. The float operation involves the machine automatically dispensing coins from each container until the float down level is reached (if necessary after first replenishing any containers whose contents are lower than the float level).
According to an aspect of the present invention, a currency handling apparatus is able to calculate individual float levels for respective denominations in such a way that the total value of the currency units left after a float operation is equal to a predetermined (and preferably alterable) value. The apparatus of the preferred embodiment includes a control means which is capable of determining different combinations of denominations each of which has a collective value equal to the predetermined value, but for a given set of conditions the control means would determine a single combination to be left after the float operation, in accordance with predetermined criteria.
It is intended that, in the preferred embodiment, a serviceman would periodically empty the apparatus, by operating a control means to empty the or each store to the respective float levels (which in the preferred embodiment causes the emptied currency units to be delivered to a cashbox, and then the serviceman would empty the cashbox itself). A large amount of cash can therefore be removed from the machine without requiring careful adjustment operations by the serviceman, with the consequent possibility of errors. If any store needs replenishing to reach the float level, the serviceman preferably does this using coins from the cashbox. To aid him, the apparatus preferably has an indicator to show that replenishment is required, and preferably which stores and/or denominations need replenishing. After the float operation, the stores are replenished during normal use of the machine.
Using an arrangement according to the present invention, the machine owner can be confident of the total amount of money contained in his machines following float operations, but nevertheless there is the flexibility to adjust the relative proportions of the different denominations stored in the machines.
It is envisaged that this flexibility would be used to provide similar advantages to those described in WO-A-94/03874, in that the float levels for the respective denominations can be individually adjusted to suit expected change requirements. However, using the techniques of the present invention, it is possible to achieve this while (a) setting an overall limit to the amount of cash retained in the machines, (b) avoiding uncertainty regarding the amount of cash left in the machines following float operations, and (c) avoiding difficulties in reconciling records of the cash taken from and stored in the machines.
As explained in WO-A-94/03874, it has been found that it is possible, by arranging for the apparatus to monitor certain parameters, to calculate dynamically the likelihood that a particular denomination will be required for dispensing. This monitoring operation can be used in determining the relative quantities of respective denominations to be retained as a result of the float operation.
The monitored parameters may include data indicative of the relative populations of currency of different denominations, either throughout the country in which the apparatus is being used or in a local region in which the apparatus is used. Denominations which are more numerous will be more likely to be inserted into the apparatus and less likely to be needed in large quantities as change in the period immediately after servicing the machine.
The parameters may also take into account the prices of products vended or services performed in exchange for cash received by the apparatus. If for example the price of a product is slightly less than a unit of currency, there is a substantial likelihood that the apparatus will be required to pay out the difference in change. The parameters may also take into account the relative popularity of different products or services.
As a more direct indication of the likely need for change, the parameters may include data representing the rate at which currency units are received by the machine and/or the rate at which currency units are dispensed by the machine. The difference between these two numbers for a particular denomination indicates whether currency of that denomination are likely to be dispensed from or delivered to the respective store.
The parameters may additionally or alternatively relate to the way in which currency units of a particular denomination have been handled, e.g. whether they have been predominantly routed to the cashbox or to a store. This will vary depending upon whether the store is tending either to stay full or to be frequently depleted by providing change.
Thus, a preferred embodiment may be arranged to use any one or more of the following parameters:
(a) the set of denominations which can be accepted by the apparatus;
(b) the set of denominations which can be dispensed by the apparatus;
(c) data indicative of the relative population levels of respective currency denominations in the area in which the apparatus is to be used;
(d) the number of currency units of respective denominations which have been received by the apparatus;
(e) the number of currency units of respective denominations which have been dispensed by the apparatus;
(f) the way in which currency units of particular denominations have been routed by the apparatus;
(g) price data representative of the price of products or services obtained by supplying currency units to said apparatus; and
(h) detection of xe2x80x9cinsufficient changexe2x80x9d situations, wherein the apparatus cannot dispense adequate change because of depletion of one or more denominations.
It will be noted that these parameters are interrelated. Any other monitorable parameter bearing a direct or indirect relationship to one or more of these parameters may be used. It will be noted also that by monitoring these parameters, the apparatus can respond to changes in them, e.g. changes in the acceptance coin set or the dispense coin set, changes in local conditions, etc.
Instead of selecting a combination of units in order to improve change availability, the present invention can be used to achieve an alternative advantage. The arrangement may be such that the individual float levels are set so as to minimise the number of coins which would be needed to be added to the containers in order to reach the float levels, and/or minimise the number of coins that need to be dispensed from the containers to reach the float levels. The object would be to reduce the amount of time which needs to be spent by the serviceman in performing the float operation.